The Proteas kicked off their ICC Champions Trophy journey against Afghanistan on Friday.
Led by Themba Bavuma, the team has been inconsistent in recent One Day International (ODI) matches and will need to perform at their best to have a chance of winning the tournament.
South Africa’s last major title came in the 1998 edition of this competition, its first-ever tournament. After reaching the semi-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2023, the Proteas may see this as their final shot to win a title with this group of players.
The ICC Champions Trophy officially begins on the 19th, but the Proteas will play their first match on Friday morning.
With powerful middle-order hitters like David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen, South Africa has a strong batting lineup capable of challenging any bowler. Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, and the relatively inexperienced Ryan Rickelton must set the tone early in the innings, allowing the big hitters to capitalize later. In terms of bowling, the team will be missing their top bowlers, Anrich Nortje and Gerald Coetzee, both sidelined by injuries. This leaves Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi as the senior fast bowlers in the squad.
The Proteas will face Afghanistan on Friday, 21 February, at 11:00 at the National Bank Stadium in Pakistan for their opening match. They will then take on Australia on Tuesday, followed by their final group match against England.
